Tofu Curry (or meat curry)

This one I came up with when I was craving curry and we had some tofu that needed to be used. It can definitely be used with any other kind of meat though. And I love chickpeas in my curry!

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 block tofu, cut into bite sized pieces
1 can chickpeas
frozen veggies (we used broccoli and spinach)
curry powder
rice

Saute the onion and garlic, add the tofu, frozen veggies, and chickpeas, and a tsp (more to taste, ours was really strong) of curry powder. Stir until heated through, serve over rice.

Garlic broccoli pasta with tomatoes and cashews

This one was better than I thought it would be. We had all the ingredients and it looked like a good fast dinner, but it was actually very flavorful. The cashews were an afterthought, but definitely made the meal better!

1 lb pasta-we used spaghetti...it might have been prettier with farfalle
1 bunch broccoli
1/2 package grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup chopped cashews
2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup freshly grated romano cheese

Cook Pasta as directed.

Trim broccoli, coarsely chop.

Heat nonstick 12 inch skillet until hot. Add garlic, cook 2-3 minutes, stirring.

Add broccoli, 1/4 cup water into skillet. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes or until broccoli is meltingly tender, stirring occasionally. Add cashews in the last few minutes.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot, add tomatoes, romano, broccoli mix, and reserved cooking water. Toss until well mixed.














**Edited to add-I have made this dish a few times since, and if you want to add a little protein, cut up raw chicken into bite-sized pieces, coat in flour, and cook in a little bit of oil until done, then toss in with the rest of the dish. MMM!

Black bean nachos

Tortilla chips
1 can black beans
1 can black olives, sliced
1-2 tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
3 green onions, sliced thin
1 can corn (we used a couple of handfuls of frozen)
cheese
refried beans

Heat oven to 450. Drain the beans. Spread chips out on a pan, then layer on beans, olives and corn. Bake for 10 minutes, add cheese, and bake 5 minutes more. Top with green onions, tomatoes, and avocados. Serve with refried beans and enjoy!

Happy Vegetarian Month!

February is vegetarian month. Not in the whole world, just here. Eric started it when he was living with his parents. We're cheating a little this year, I was having trouble getting enough protein so we have eaten some fish and shrimp. Apparently we're only not eating things that walk...but all of the recipes I'm making this month are vegetarian-minded. So, enjoy!

Pork Weiner Schnitzel and Barley Risotto

Pork Wiener Schnitzel

1 lb pork cutlets, pounded to 1/4 inch thick, seasoned with salt and pepper.

Spread 1/2 cup flour on a plate

Beat 2 large eggs and 1 tbsp milk in a shallow bowl

Spread 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs on another plate (we used panko breadcrumbs because we had them)

Dredge the pork in the flour, shaking off excess. Dip into egg, coat with the crumbs, pressing slightly to help them adhere. Heat in a large skilled over medium high heat.

Cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned. Remove to paper towels to drain, then keep warm.

Serve with lemon juice and pepper

Barley Risotto

• 1 cup barley
• 1/2 cup small diced onion
• 2-3 cloves minced fresh garlic
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
Heat oil in a pan. Add barley and toast lightly - about 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stir and cook until soft. Add 1/3 of the broth, stir until almost absorbed, and repeat. Add pepper to taste Remove from heat, add chopped parsley and cheese and season to taste.














These were both really good (although anything coated in crumbs and fried is good) but if you're not a big barley fan, this is a good recipe for you. The texture is different than what barley usually is in soups and stews, so its a good way to sneak a little barley in!

Peanut Satay Stir Fry

This isn't exactly a recipe since I used a bag of frozen veggies and a jarred sauce, but it was really good!

1 lb chicken, cut into bite sized pieces

1 bag frozen mixed veggies (we use Trader Joe's, which had snap peas, onions, carrots, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, and soybeans

1 onion, chopped

1/2 jar (or more) peanut satay sauce (we used Thai Kitchen)

Sesame seeds

Rice

Start cooking the rice, and heat oil in a pan. I dredged the chicken in flour and pepper because Eric loves that, but its not necessary. Saute the onions and brown the chicken on all sides. When the chicken is almost cooked, throw in the frozen veggies and sesame seeds, and stir until heated through and the chicken is cooked. Mix in the peanut sauce and serve over rice

Crock Pot Turkey Chili

My mom gave us a big box of leftover Thanksgiving turkey. After 3 turkey dinners in a row, we were a little turkey'd out, so I needed to get creative! I found a turkey chili recipe here that sounded good, modified it for the crock pot, and only changed a few things. It makes a ton, enough for us to eat for a couple of days, some to freeze, and some to share with my parents.

Ingredients

2 cups chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans stewed tomatoes, mashed up

1 (15-oz)can crushed tomatoes

1 (15-oz)can diced tomatoes with chilis (unless you don't want it spicy, then just do regular diced)

1 small can tomato paste

1 cup chicken broth

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can lentils, drained

3-4 cups leftover turkey, chopped

1 tbsp chili powder (more if you like it hot)

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp cinnamon

Put everything in the crock pot and cook. I'm no crock pot scientist, but since everything is already cooked, I figure you just need to cook it for awhile for the flavors to blend, and until it is nice and hot. I did it on low until Eric came home, which was about 6 hours, but it had been hot and bubbly for awhile before that.

Since we had so much, we ate it plain with cheese, over cornbread, and over rice. All ways were delicious!

Chicken and dumplings

It has been cold out and I've been craving this! 

4 chicken breasts

1 large onion

1 clove garlic

6 cups broth

Bisquick and milk

red pepper flakes to taste

frozen veggies-we used broccoli, peas, and soybeans

Make the bisquick biscuit mix as directed on the box. Saute the onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes in oil. Add the broth, scraping up the brown bits from the pan. Add the chicken and bring to a boil. Throw in the frozen veggies and grind some pepper, then make flattened balls of dough with your hands and place them across the pan. It should cover the whole pan. Turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Use a fork to test that the biscuits are cooked on the inside, and spear a piece of chicken to test that it is cooked, then serve. 

Unfortunately, we ate it all without taking a picture. It was just too yummy. I'll just have to make it again!

Ethiopian Curry Vegetable Stew

I recently stumbled upon some Ethiopian recipes and they all sound so good! They're just what I like, full of vegetables and flavor. This one was very good, and made a lot of leftovers.

1 head cabbage, sliced into wedges about an inch thick

2 large onions, sliced

5 carrots, cut into bite sized pieces

3 large potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

1 small head cauliflower, cut into pieces

1 can chickpeas

3 tbsp curry powder

2 cups water

We also threw in some frozen broccoli

saute the onions in oil or butter until translucent. Add curry powder and stir. Add water, carrots, cabbage, and potatoes, cover, and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cauliflower and cook 15 more minutes. Add the chickpeas and broccoli and stir. 

We ate it over rice. Mmm!

Pasta Risotto

This recipe was called Orzo Risotto, using the pasta that looks like rice. We didn't have that but we had acini di pepe, little balls

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1/2 lb pasta

1 small onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 cups chicken stock

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1/2 cup grated parmesan

Heat oil and butter in a saucepan. Add pasta and toast for 3 minutes. Add onions and garlic, cook until soft, stirring frequently. Add wine, stir and deglaze for 1 minute. When the wine has nearly evaporated, add 2 cups of stock, and stir until absorbed. Add remaining stock and ground pepper, and cook until absorbed. Remove from heat, add chopped parsley and cheese and season to taste. 

I added frozen broccoli and peas when the stock was almost absorbed the last time. Chopped mushrooms would have been very good too! It was really yummy, it was creamy and the acini di pepe gave it a unique texture.

I served it with grilled chicken, mashed sweet potatoes, and steamed brussels sprouts, and it was a hit! The leftovers didn't last long, so I might double it next time.